Former Major League Baseball pitcher Trevor May has weighed in on a recent debate sparked by NFL prospect Travis Hunter’s comments about baseball star Shohei Ohtani.
The discussion, which gained attention across both football and baseball circles, centered around Hunter’s comparison of his own two-way role in football to Ohtani’s exceptional dual-threat abilities on the baseball diamond.
In a recent interview, Hunter was asked about his ability to play both cornerback and wide receiver in comparison to Ohtani’s abilities as both a hitter and pitcher and which is more impressive.
“Probably what I do in football, because it’s a lot on your body,” Hunter said. “You know Ohtani, he’s a great player, but you gotta do a lot in football.”
May was quick to disagree with Hunter’s comparison.
Appearing on MLB Network Radio, May responded directly, saying, “I’m sorry, Travis, I see where you’re going with it, but no.”
While acknowledging that playing both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL requires tremendous skill and endurance, May emphasized that pitching and hitting at the level Ohtani performs are completely different challenges.
“To be as good as Shohei Ohtani is at both is the most impressive thing in sports, ever,” May asserted, drawing a direct comparison to Babe Ruth’s historic success as a two-way player in baseball.
Ohtani has become an international sensation for his rare ability to excel both at the plate and on the mound.
Although Ohtani was unable to pitch during the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, his impact as a hitter continued to shine.
He was unanimously voted National League MVP after a historic 50-50 season, hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases.
Despite his injury, Ohtani’s return to the mound is highly anticipated, with fans eager to see him back in action later this year.
Adding to the excitement around Ohtani’s return, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently observed the slugger’s bullpen session during Spring Training.
“I thought it was great. Just kind of seeing his delivery, which was really good, the clean arm stroke … Gosh, the velocity, the ball was coming out really good. I think he seems pretty pleased with it, and the command was really good. So really positive,” Roberts said.
Hunter can swing this argument back in his favor if he ends up performing at an All-Pro level at both receiver and cornerback in the NFL.
Of course, it remains to be seen if he ends up playing both positions on a full-time basis in the pros. (Teams are split on that.)
Regardless, the fact of the matter is Hunter has yet to prove that he can dominant at both positions at the highest level, whereas Ohtani already has.
What are your thoughts on the topic? … Which do YOU think is harder to do???
